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Transitioning from Stage to Strategy, Connecting Communities to Classical Music

Posted by dus1269

Captured by @SeanSuPhoto

Rachel Garoon ’24 sometimes feels like she speaks music better than she speaks English. In addition to playing a slew of instruments ranging from piano and violin to clarinet, she also sang in middle school and high school.

“It was a high school choir teacher who, upon hearing me sing, said, ‘I think it would be beneficial for you to look at vocal performance degrees,’ implying classical music and opera,” says Garoon. “These were worlds I knew nothing about at the time.” (more…)

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Categories: Student Profiles

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Honing Teamwork and Leadership Skills On and Off the Field

Posted by dus1269

When he was only 14, Ugochukwu Achara ’24 moved from his home country of Nigeria to the United States with two goals in mind: to accelerate his education and to play soccer.

He attended private school for a year before finishing his high school diploma at Berkshire School in Massachusetts. From there, he came to Northwestern to study learning and organizational change and play soccer. Two years in, he transferred to the University of Louisville to focus more on athletics while also completing a BS in Communication. (more…)

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Summertime Chi Roundup: The Best Events in Chicago this Season!

Posted by dus1269

High on the extensive list of reasons why summer in Chicago is the best is the urgency with which Chicagoans go outside. There’s so much to do and so many people craving the sun that the city feels uniquely alive and present. To help prepare for the season, we’ve curated a master list of the best happenings around Chicago this summer. Activities are organized by topic: street and neighborhood festivals, music festivals, film and television, and theater related events. You can find the full list with breakouts for each event linked here. (more…)

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Categories: MSLCE News

Life After Dance: Finding a New Stage in the Creative Industry

Posted by dus1269

Being on stage in Brazil is where Isabel Lima ’24 wanted to be most as a child. Landing her first musical theater role when she was only eight years old led her to seek out any creative classes that put her in the spotlight: dancing, acting, singing. 

As a preteen, she even starred in two professional Brazilian productions: The Sound of Music and The King and I. 

As she got older, her classes started to take up more time. “If you really want to dedicate yourself,” says Lima, “then you’re going to class five days a week, plus weekends, instead of two or three times a week.”   (more…)

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From Law to the Arts: Finding New Ways to Shape Communities

Posted by dus1269

Rashida Anderson-Abdullah ’24, who now goes by HP Sherie (The Headbanging Princess) to symbolize her transition from politics and journalism to music and entertainment, grew up in a family that bonded through music, often watching awards shows together on television. Through those experiences, plus her fascination with a handful of rock and heartthrob bands during high school, she developed strong opinions about what quality music and artists are—and aren’t.    (more…)

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Exploring AI in the Creative Industries: Tension vs. a Point of Advancement

Posted by dus1269

Professor of Instruction Rick Morris remembers the rise of cable television, the transition from analog to digital signals, and the first high-definition (HD) TVs, which sold for thousands of dollars.

Working for brands like NBC, Telemundo Chicago, and Disney ABC, he helped automate media plants, supervise productions, manage millions of dollars in technology development, and lead digital station conversions to HDTV. And he did it all through a legal lens with two law degrees: a J.D. and LL.M. (more…)

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Categories: Faculty + Courses, Industry Immersion, MSLCE News

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Crafting a Career in Communication through Passion and Purpose

Posted by dus1269

As a student majoring in communication at the University of Ottawa, Longhao Li ’25 quickly developed a passion for advanced film and sound techniques. As he worked closely with a professor, he learned even more about video and animation. 

One of his first film projects involved interviewing First Nations people to create a short documentary that shared their unique culture and perspective. Even though Li got to do this hands-on work, he felt disconnected from the industry.  (more…)

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Using Business Tactics to Create Deep Entertainment Experiences

Posted by dus1269

Graduate school was never part of the plan for Kay Cui ’24.

She did well in classes like math, history, and English, but she didn’t want to study those subjects in depth. Instead, she preferred immersing herself in the world of entertainment and spent much of her childhood playing piano, flute, oboe, and cello.

Her plan was to earn a BA in Communications from Northwestern University and then start working. (more…)

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Learning to Launch and Operate a Creative Enterprise of Her Own

Posted by dus1269

Elementary-school performances of established works on piano and in theater gave Samantha Westlake-Hart ’25 her first exposure to creative arts. Just a few years later, in high school, she realized she enjoyed behind-the-stage experiences just as much as being in the spotlight.   (more…)

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Bringing a New Level of Representation to the Arts

Posted by dus1269

Dubbed the Hollywood of the South, Atlanta has a thriving arts and music scene. As James Young ’24 grew up there, he was surrounded by opportunities to participate in theater, music, and film.  

His mentor, Cheryl Cardwell, taught him voice and piano. As she got to know his talents, she encouraged him to pursue acting, too.  (more…)

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